CMJ » Kerry McNeilFri, 31 Jul 2015 20:18:16 +0000hourly1Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:48:08 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=live&p=35098St. Lucia kicked off its three-week Tuesday night residency at Pianos yesterday, celebrating its upcoming Neon Gold release. And with Slam Donahue on the roster, Pianos was probably the place to be even if it hadn’t been a free show. Filling the venue with peppy dance-pop and synths, both bands really brought it on night...

St. Lucia kicked off its three-week Tuesday night residency at Pianos yesterday, celebrating its upcoming Neon Gold release. And with Slam Donahue on the roster, Pianos was probably the place to be even if it hadn’t been a free show. Filling the venue with peppy dance-pop and synths, both bands really brought it on night No. 1.

Bursting right into the floating guitar melodies and stuck-in-your-head-for-weeks chorus of “Where Were We On The Weekend,” lead vocalist and guitarist Dave Otto of Slam Donahue sang, “When people get together, it’s not easily avoided/Breakin’ all your shit drunk/We’ll laugh until the morning comes,” like a nasal but endearing teen. Shirtless and with bleach-blond hair-metal-band locks flying around, drummer Keenan Mitchell (vocalist of Fort Lean) started the loud, heavy and fast drums of “I Know,” matching the quick pace of Otto’s vocals and bouncing guitar melodies, as well as bassist Thomas Sommerville’s shouted backing vocals. With several harmonious ooos between lyrics, Slam Donahue’s bedroom demo style kept up its rawness in the live setting. Finishing up the set with the bubbly and hook-laden “It’s Scary,” the group had the intimate crowd shouting along to every last “ya, ya, ya” between hand-clap drum beats and fizzy guitar riffs.

After a brief soundcheck, St. Lucia began its set with airy synths, rolling drums and smashing guitars. Lead vocalist/guitarist Jean-Philip Grobler provided towering vocals that meshed perfectly with the New Wave keyboard parts coming from Patricia Beranek and the smooth sax solos from guest Mike Ruby. After starting the second song with an enthusiastic chorus of, “Don’t go, don’t go away,” Grobler had to stop for a minute with a quick explanation of, “Sorry, guys, we’re having technical difficulties. This is very important.” And with a laugh, he shouted out, “Let’s try that again,” smoothly transitioning right back into the chorus as the crowd cheered.

“All Eyes On You” began with a slow crash of cymbals and simple guitar plucking. The song swiftly built up with a heavy bass-drum beat from drummer Nick Brown, one of Ruby’s much-applauded sax solos and a sing-along chorus reminiscent of Temper Trap. The band chemistry was evident as the members laughed and smiled with one another while playing. Often featuring romantically charged lyrics like, “I can’t imagine there’s a way to get closer than this/I have a feeling we won’t get closer than this,” St. Lucia blended jazzy guitar riffs with clanging keys and intermittent smashing cymbals that filled the back room of Pianos.

]]>http://www.cmj.com/live/st-lucia-slam-donahue-pianos-february-7-2012/feed/0Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:49:49 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=news&p=32771Former Gowns singer/guitarist Erika M. Anderson, aka EMA, has announced North American headlining tour dates for next year. The tour will start March 1 in San Francisco and continue until March 16 in Brooklyn, with more dates to follow shortly. EMA – Angelo by souterraintransmissions EMA has been on the road for most of the...

Former Gowns singer/guitarist Erika M. Anderson, aka EMA, has announced North American headlining tour dates for next year. The tour will start March 1 in San Francisco and continue until March 16 in Brooklyn, with more dates to follow shortly.

EMA has been on the road for most of the year supporting her debut album, Past Life Martyred Saints (Souterrain Transmissions), which came out in May. And for those who can’t get enough EMA, a deluxe edition of her debut will be out on iTunes February 7. The iTunes edition will include original bonus track “To Leave With Love,” as well as EMA’s cover of Nirvana’s “Endless, Nameless” with a video to go with it (posted below) and videos for three more tracks. The B-side for EMA’s latest single, “Angelo/Marked,” is streaming above and features a guest verse from Mz’Gorjis of Platnum Platnum Glam Squad.

]]>With the release of its debut album, Bad Penny (Slumberland), Spectrals channels ’50s-’60s doo-wop and mixes it up with flavors of indie pop, creating a release full of pleasantly nostalgic love songs. The man behind Spectrals, 21-year-old Yorkshire-native Louis Jones, admits that love songs are the kind he favors. Jones found inspiration from childhood memories of listening to the Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello and the Ronettes, and his love for love songs shines through on all 11 tracks of this album. Bad Penny examines relationships and romance through Jones’ own retro indie pop-rock lens, swaying a little from his lo-fi Myspace beginnings and becoming more easily accessible without losing Spectrals’ appeal.

Sounding a bit like fellow Brit Alex Turner’s the Last Shadow Puppets, Bad Penny has a similar retro feel with a more mellow approach. Jones’ accented vocals are a bit more fittingly monotone for the gloomy verses of “Get A Grip” as he croons, “I need to get a grip/I always seem to let my smile slip,” full of melancholic romanticism. Somewhat bluesy guitar melodies, short, rolling drums from Jones’ brother Will and a gentle piano riff feed into the ’60s feel on “Lockjaw,” as Jones lackadaisically contemplates the problems with missing something he never had. “Big Baby” is heavy on the bass drum with surf-pop guitars and a youthful feel. More upbeat than some of the other tracks, “Big Baby” still sticks to the lovelorn theme as Jones sings, “‘Cause I’m a big baby/’Cause, girl, that’s what you made me/Why, why, why?”

Groovy, bouncing guitars and echoing vocals introduce “Doing Time,” with chiming keys and jangling tambourines. “Confetti” is another quicker, upbeat track full of more buoyant guitar melodies, light cymbals and heavier drumming from Will Jones, as well as a vibrant keyboard riff. Welcoming confetti for the “fun” of courting a girl, “Confetti”‘s clever lyrics make it one of the more animated tracks on Bad Penny. Spectrals’ debut is mellow and accessible without being boring even though it has less fuzz than fans might be used to.

]]>http://www.cmj.com/reviews/spectrals-bad-penny/feed/0Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:30:57 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=news&p=32680Scottish indie-rock band the Twilight Sad has announced North American tour dates in support of its upcoming release, No One Can Ever Know, out on FatCat February 7. The group’s third album marks a shift in sound, as heard by the widespread preview track “Kill It In The Morning” and the album’s first single, “Sick,”...

Scottish indie-rock band the Twilight Sad has announced North American tour dates in support of its upcoming release, No One Can Ever Know, out on FatCat February 7. The group’s third album marks a shift in sound, as heard by the widespread preview track “Kill It In The Morning” and the album’s first single, “Sick,” which premiered on Stereogum in October.

A darker, synth-heavy and more industrial feel breaks from the band’s traditionally mellow rock sound found on previous albums like 2007′s Fourteen Autumns And Fifteen Winters (FatCat) and 2009′s Forget The Night Ahead (FatCat). Check out the tour dates below.

]]>http://www.cmj.com/news/twilight-sad-announces-north-american-tour-dates/feed/0Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:00:30 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=news&p=32670ARIA Hall Of Famer Nick Cave announced the split of his latest band, Grinderman, at the Meredith Music Festival in Victoria, Australia, this weekend just as the last few notes of the band’s set rang out over a confused crowd of 12,000. “That’s it for Grinderman. It’s over. See you all in another 10 years...

ARIA Hall Of Famer Nick Cave announced the split of his latest band, Grinderman, at the Meredith Music Festival in Victoria, Australia, this weekend just as the last few notes of the band’s set rang out over a confused crowd of 12,000.

“That’s it for Grinderman. It’s over. See you all in another 10 years when we’ll all be even older and uglier,” Cave said, according to TheQuietus.com.

The abrupt statement left many wondering if they had heard Cave correctly, the Vine reports, and so far there has been no other official word on the break-up.

Known as the frontman of the eclectic rock band Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Cave’s latest group had also gained critical praise for both its self-titled debut in 2007 and for the band’s follow-up, Grinderman 2 (Mute/Anti-) in 2010. Cave began Grinderman with multi-instrumentalist Warren Ellis, bassist Martyn Casey and drummer Jim Sclavunos—all members of the Bad Seeds.

We hope that if this announcement is for real, Grinderman will make a comeback before Cave and his Bad Seeds are too much “older and uglier.”

]]>http://www.cmj.com/news/nick-cave-says-grinderman-is-over/feed/2Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:00:54 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=news&p=32546Prominent New York DJ Jonathan Toubin was injured Thursday morning when a cab drove into his ground-floor room at the Jupiter Hotel in Portland, OR. Oregonlive.com reports that Toubin was in critical condition Thursday night at OHSU hospital, though he was semi-conscious and able to move his hands and legs slightly when paramedics arrived. Toubin...

Prominent New York DJ Jonathan Toubin was injured Thursday morning when a cab drove into his ground-floor room at the Jupiter Hotel in Portland, OR. Oregonlive.com reports that Toubin was in critical condition Thursday night at OHSU hospital, though he was semi-conscious and able to move his hands and legs slightly when paramedics arrived.

Toubin had been pinned up against the back wall of the room, stuck by the front of the cab. The cab couldn’t be backed out of the room, but Portland Officer Stuart Palmiter and three maintenance men were able to lift the cab’s tires and back the car out of the room to free Toubin. The 52-year-old Radio Cab driver Terry L. Uding reportedly had low blood sugar at the scene and had likely suffered a diabetic emergency when the cab plowed into Toubin’s room. The driver has been treated and released from a local hospital.

Known as the New York Night Train Conductor for his popular nightclub rock and soul DJ shows, Toubin was scheduled to perform at the I’ve Got A Hole In My Soul 5th Anniversary Party Thursday night at the Portland club Rotture.

Benefit parties are already lining up in New York tonight, one at Home Sweet Home and the other at Motor City. Full details here.

]]>http://www.cmj.com/news/ny-dj-jonathan-toubin-injured-after-cab-hits-hotel/feed/0Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:00:55 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=news&p=32329San Francisco’s the Fresh And Onlys has signed to Brooklyn’s Mexican Summer. The band is currently at work at Lucky Cat Studios wrapping up the recording sessions for a new LP slated for release sometime next year. The band’s most recent full-length was 2010′s Play It Strange, released on In The Red. Last year also...

San Francisco’s the Fresh And Onlys has signed to Brooklyn’s Mexican Summer. The band is currently at work at Lucky Cat Studios wrapping up the recording sessions for a new LP slated for release sometime next year.

The band’s most recent full-length was 2010′s Play It Strange, released on In The Red. Last year also saw the band touring with the likes of Deerhunter and Clinic. So far this year, the group has been busy with headlining tours, as well as with a spot at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. The Fresh And Onlys plans to start a West Coast tour early in 2012. Check out the dates below.

]]>http://www.cmj.com/news/fresh-and-onlys-signs-to-mexican-summer/feed/0Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:27:21 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=news&p=32317Garage pop-punk foursome Wyldlife has released a new video for “City Of Inbreds” off of its self-titled LP that came out in the fall on Merrifield. With true punk-rock style, the Jersey City boys belt out the song in the midst of girls making out, getting tattoos, getting blonde highlights, shirtless/scantily clad party people and...

Garage pop-punk foursome Wyldlife has released a new video for “City Of Inbreds” off of its self-titled LP that came out in the fall on Merrifield. With true punk-rock style, the Jersey City boys belt out the song in the midst of girls making out, getting tattoos, getting blonde highlights, shirtless/scantily clad party people and alcohol—lots and lots of alcohol.

Wyldlife recently opened up for lead singer Dave Feldman’s older brother, Kurt Feldman, and his band the Pains Of Being Pure At Heart at Bowery Ballroom as well as for CJ Ramone at Webster Hall. The group has been steadily gaining buzz with crowds since its debut release, and it’s easy to see why. With all the energy seen in the video, as well as the goofy, charismatic facial expressions of Feldman, these Jersey boys will definitely bring the loud, fast, mostly shirtless party everywhere they go.

]]>http://www.cmj.com/news/pop-punk-foursome-wyldlife-brings-the-party-with-new-video/feed/1Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:57:35 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=news&p=32280If you didn’t catch the premiere of Providence, RI-based Deer Tick‘s new video for “Main Street” on MTV last week, don’t worry—the band has released the unedited version on YouTube. Get ready for your fill of exploding fireworks, unsuccessful attempts to put out fires with urine and the rock ‘n’ roll-style destruction of the band’s...

If you didn’t catch the premiere of Providence, RI-based Deer Tick‘s new video for “Main Street” on MTV last week, don’t worry—the band has released the unedited version on YouTube. Get ready for your fill of exploding fireworks, unsuccessful attempts to put out fires with urine and the rock ‘n’ roll-style destruction of the band’s equipment.

The band worked with director Colin Devin Moore to make the video, which serves as an ode to Deer Tick’s notoriously raw and raucous live shows. John McCauley’s raspy, Cobain-inspired vocals along with loftily strummed guitar chords and smashing cymbals make for a beer-spilling, bar-fighting anthem that most likely really would result in a night of destroyed instruments in the boys’ hometown.

]]>http://www.cmj.com/news/deer-tick-debuts-uncensored-video-for-main-street/feed/0Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:04:41 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=news&p=32238Brooklyn favorite Frankie Rose has announced that her sophomore LP, Interstellar, will be out on Slumberland February 21 and on Memphis Industries in the U.K. March 19. Known for her work with buzz-worthy bands like Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls and Vivian Girls, Rose has certainly helped to define the ’60s lo-fi girl group trend....

Brooklyn favorite Frankie Rose has announced that her sophomore LP, Interstellar, will be out on Slumberland February 21 and on Memphis Industries in the U.K. March 19. Known for her work with buzz-worthy bands like Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls and Vivian Girls, Rose has certainly helped to define the ’60s lo-fi girl group trend. With Interstellar, however, Rose will be moving in a new direction with a bigger, cleaner sound.

“I knew I wanted a huge-sounding record,” Rose said in a press release, “Big highs, big lows and clean. There is no fuzz on this record. I knew I wanted to make a streamlined, spacious record with big choruses that sometimes referenced ’80s pop.”

And to help make her big vision come true, Rose enlisted the production help of Le Chev, known for his remixes of Passion Pit, Narcisse and Rose’s own “Candy,” from 2010′s Frankie Rose And The Outs (Slumberland). Rose will be performing in Miami as well as at her Brooklyn release party, so check out the dates below, as well as the tracklist for Interstellar.

]]>http://www.cmj.com/news/frankie-rose-announces-sophomore-lp-interstellar/feed/0Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:58:13 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=review&p=32084Baltimore singer/songwriter Carter Tanton may have initially been discouraged when his former band Tulsa’s follow-up to 2007′s I Was Submerged (Park The Van) wasn’t released because of legal and label struggles—after all, he had spent two years writing and recording it. But Tanton toured as the guitarist for Boston folk artist Marissa Nadler after the...

]]>Baltimore singer/songwriter Carter Tanton may have initially been discouraged when his former band Tulsa’s follow-up to 2007′s I Was Submerged (Park The Van) wasn’t released because of legal and label struggles—after all, he had spent two years writing and recording it. But Tanton toured as the guitarist for Boston folk artist Marissa Nadler after the band split, and his experience working on Nadler’s record with her inspired his latest release, Freeclouds (Western Vinyl). And yes, the album title and some tracks on the record reference Bowie’s “Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud,” seemingly continuing where Tulsa left off while also putting a new spin on the kinds of melodic and emotional atmospheres that made Bowie such an icon.

Freeclouds seems to be a culmination of many different ideas and styles all brought together in one album, and this diversity of sound is exactly what makes the album work so well. “Murderous Joy” brings the album to life immediately with a taste of twangy ’60s folk guitars and jangling tambourines as Tanton dreamily croons, “I need just a little time to sing you a line that you won’t soon forget.” And Tanton’s vocals harmonize completely with the layers of folksy instrumentation, helping his loftily delivered melodies prove the lyric’s accuracy. Switching gears to a synthier, more distorted style, “Fake Pretend” features Nadler’s gentle, sweet vocals that contrast well with Tanton’s rich range, skipping ahead about 20 years from the feel of “Murderous Joy” with robotic backing echoes and wavy guitar melodies.

“Horrorscope” brings Tanton in yet another direction—a louder cymbal-smashing direction with faded, echoing vocals and more lofty guitar melodies that soon turn to ass-kicking lo-fi rock guitar riffs and back again. Yet again, “Pasture Sound” changes it up, sounding more melancholic than the rest with an uneasy, tautly plucked guitar riff and a desperate tone to Tanton’s voice as he dejectedly asks, “Are you ready?/Stand witness now to nature.” Tanton’s ability to produce such diversity in his sound speaks to his strong talent as a singer and songwriter.

]]>http://www.cmj.com/reviews/carter-tanton-freeclouds/feed/0Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:00:03 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=news&p=31878Sassy British singer/songwriter Lily Allen, now known as Lily Rose Cooper, gave birth to a baby daughter over the weekend, the Daily Mail reports. The baby has been long-awaited for the 26-year-old pop star and her decorator husband Sam Cooper, who tied the knot last June and announced the happy news to their wedding guests....

Sassy British singer/songwriter Lily Allen, now known as Lily Rose Cooper, gave birth to a baby daughter over the weekend, the Daily Mail reports. The baby has been long-awaited for the 26-year-old pop star and her decorator husband Sam Cooper, who tied the knot last June and announced the happy news to their wedding guests. After a miscarriage with Cooper in 2010, as well as a miscarriage with then-boyfriend Ed Simons of the Chemical Brothers in 2008, the excitement of a healthy baby girl may have been summed up in a quick tweet from Allen that simply said “Totes Amaze,” on November 25.

So far there hasn’t been an official announcement, though friend DJ Seb Chew tweeted his congratulations to the couple on the same day, suggesting that the Coopers name the baby Mini.

]]>http://www.cmj.com/news/lily-allen-welcomes-baby-girl-over-the-weekend/feed/0Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:00:25 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=column&p=31781For many bands, splitting up after a follow-up release that didn’t quite stick would have been the end. But for a band like Miami Beach’s Ex Norwegian, the old lineup’s split in March 2010 was most definitely not going to be the end of the story—not if Dying Van Gogh had anything to say about...

For many bands, splitting up after a follow-up release that didn’t quite stick would have been the end. But for a band like Miami Beach’s Ex Norwegian, the old lineup’s split in March 2010 was most definitely not going to be the end of the story—not if Dying Van Gogh had anything to say about it. Picking up the band’s sophomore effort to 2009′s Standby (Dying Van Gogh), the label pumped life back into 2010′s Sketch with its re-release and also into the band itself.

Frontman and bassist Roger Houdaille—also the bassist of Dying Van Gogh act Ed Hale And The Transcendence—took some convincing. “I had no interest in doing anything more with Sketch or anything with the band after we originally split,” he says. “It was a difficult album personally at the time, but thankfully that kinda stuff goes away, and now I can really appreciate the album,” Houdaille explains. “That it’s finally being played on college radio and getting the attention it didn’t get the first time around is simply wonderful. And now I’ve put together a new Ex Norwegian and am slowly getting back on the road.”

That first time around, the group had a whirlwind rise in popularity after posting “Something Unreal” on Myspace in 2008. The song also secured the band an invite to play CMJ 2008, a stage where the group quickly gained attention from audience members and media alike with its cheeky pop flourishes. Three years later, the group has reformed and is now stronger than ever with classic Ex Norwegian vocalist Michelle Grand and guitarist Lucas Queiroz, as well as newcomer Alex Ibanez on drums.

Sketch fleshes out the ideas of Standby; with Houdaille’s vocals juxtaposed against distortion, sweet vocals that play off of Houdaille’s from ex-Ex Norwegian Nina Souto and guitars riffing on the band’s late ’60s, early ’70s influences, the album is brought into the modern era with twists to classic pop formulas.

“We made some great music with the old lineup, but it was very limited at the same time. Different agendas. Now we are all on the same page, right down to our goals and tastes in music,” Houdaille says. “It makes things much easier.”

According to Houdaille, Sketch was more of a group effort than Standby, and now with a more harmonious lineup, the band’s return to the road promises more of the excellence of 2008′s CMJ performance. Houdaille’s future goals for the band include expanding to at least a six-piece “to really do justice to the material,” as well as possibly adding a Mellotron to the stage once the shows start getting bigger. And that’s not all Ex Norwegian has in store in the near future. What was announced as an upcoming 2012 EP with the working title of House Music—in honor of the collection’s house music influences—is now going to be another full-length release.

“I’m very excited about it,” Houdaille says. “It will be a little more adventurous I think. A hybrid of our previous albums with some new elements thrown in. The new band will be on some of it, and we’re already throwing in a lot of new songs in our live sets.” Watch out for these guys in the months ahead, and check out Sketch, streaming below.

]]>http://www.cmj.com/column/on-the-verge/ex-norwegian-miami-beach-fl/feed/0Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:38:47 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=news&p=31656Copenhagen native Robin Hannibal (Quadron, Boom Clap Bachelors) released his first solo EP, Bobby (Plug Research), a few months back and he has now released a video for his song “Amends.” Having teamed up to form many successful musical collaborations, Hannibal’s group efforts have even inspired the likes of Pharrell and Questlove. This time around,...

Copenhagen native Robin Hannibal (Quadron, Boom Clap Bachelors) released his first solo EP, Bobby (Plug Research), a few months back and he has now released a video for his song “Amends.” Having teamed up to form many successful musical collaborations, Hannibal’s group efforts have even inspired the likes of Pharrell and Questlove. This time around, however, Hannibal is enjoying his more personal individual effort which that includes starring in his new video, as well as creating the story line for it.

A stark contrast of black and white makes the video innately romantic as Hannibal pensively saunters about while looking classy in a crisp suit with a bright white shirt, black bow tie and a black suit jacket slung effortlessly over his shoulder. . Walking across a beach, and sitting on a bench for a short time, Hannibal’s character appears to come to some kind of decision as he gets up and leaves the beach area, picking up a balloon at a store and bringing it to a woman’s apartment. Whether it’s an apology balloon or just an I’m-thinking-of-you balloon, it’s just what the woman is looking for as she opens her door smiling. Flowers are so out this year; Hannibal clearly knows that a balloon is the best way to win a girl’s affection.

Look out for an upcoming Quadron album sometime in 2012 for more of Hannibal’s well-known collaborative work with Quadron’s other half, Coco O.

]]>http://www.cmj.com/news/quadrons-robin-hannibal-video-makes-amends/feed/0Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:00:59 +0000http://70.32.76.49/?post_type=news&p=31631Seattle, WA, indie folk-rock group Fleet Foxes has released a new video for “The Shrine/An Argument” off of its latest record, Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop), out earlier this year. Directed by lead singer Robin Pecknold’s brother Sean, the animated video goes well with the grand sound of the track, with bright sunny oranges and reds...

Seattle, WA, indie folk-rock group Fleet Foxes has released a new video for “The Shrine/An Argument” off of its latest record, Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop), out earlier this year. Directed by lead singer Robin Pecknold’s brother Sean, the animated video goes well with the grand sound of the track, with bright sunny oranges and reds contrasted against the darkness of the animals that the video follows. Pecknold’s folksy voice soundtracks the desert landscape, looking almost like a Tim Burton-ized version of The Lion King, except the focus is on a gazelle type of animal rather than a Simba.

Mysterious hands pluck strings as the gazelle moves across the golden, arid terrain, coming across the staked heads of fellow animals, lapping up a bit of water from a pool and snatching another creature for a midday snack. The sun sets as the song turns heavy with crashing drums, cymbals and guitar as it enters the “An Argument” part of the track. Tribal figures dance around a fire, and the gazelle starts running from several predators, with the wind bringing down trees around him. A Beetlejuice-like, sandworm-looking thing goes in for the kill as the song reaches a crescendo. Our poor, defeated gazelle then slides into the sea and is fought over by some underwater dragons. Tough day.

The obviously time-consuming animation of the video pays off, working perfectly with the feel of “The Shrine/An Argument.” Fleet Foxes has tour dates in Europe, the U.K., Japan, Australia and New Zealand coming up. Check them out below.